Lock mechanism



M. TIBBETTS LOCK MECHANISM April 9, 1929.

| I" l lll y L y'lll l MIA/III Filed June 2s, 192e" 25' tion';

l Patented Apr'. 9,1929.

UNIT-ED STATES 1,708,709 PA'IENTA OFFICE.

'HILTON TIBBETTS, OF` DETROIT, MICHIGAT, ASSIGNOB T0 PACKARD KOTOR CAB COM- PANY, OFDETBOIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION, 0F MICHIGAN.A

LOCK HECHANISH.

Application led June 23,

This invention relates to lock mechanism and particularly to means for locking and unlocking the ignition switch-of a motor vehicle. v One of the objects ofthe invention is to provide an ignition switch with bot-h key and eyless release mechanism of novel and efficient form.

Another object of the invention is to provide the ordinarv 'type of'ignition switch with-means mounted'adjacentthe'reto for retaining it in locked position and for releasing the lockingv means either` by key or'key- -less means.

'15 Another object of the invention is'to provvide a dialv operated release means with' a combination release lever and click mecha- Other object-s of the inventionwill appear l 2o from the following description taken in Aconof this specification, and' inwhich:

Fig. 1 is an elevation view of a motor venection with the drawings, which form a part hicle switch mechanism embodying the inven- Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view substantially on theline 2 -2 'of Fig. V1;

F1 3 `is a vertical section substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a View in partial horizontalsection online 6- -6 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, 10 represents the casing of a switch mechanism such as is mounted 011 the instrument lboard of a motor vehicle. It is usually formed of two principal parts,'the part 11 forming the front and sides'of the casing and the part 12 forming 'a' detachable rear cover plata-f -The mecha- -nisms hereinafter described are supported-on 'or-in said casing. Two switch handles 13 switchhandle 13 is connectealto the ignition Y. switch and the handle 14 to the hghting switch. The latter is shown only vin--F ig.1. In Fig. 3 the switch 15 to which the handle tion 16, and an arm 17 to which is .connected .-fa spring' 18 having its 'otherendconnected Fig. 4 *is'ajsection on the line A4.--4 of f.

Fi 5 is ai section on the line 5.-5 of Fig.

and-14 are shown in Fig. 1, andusually the y the shaft 27 is pushed inwardly ir' any other 13 is connected is shown as having a shaft por- 192s. seriai 110,117,941.

.switch and retains the switch in oli position until` the bolt is withdrawn. The switch 1s then released and is moved bythe spring 18 'to its on position in which the Contact piece 21 connects the contacts 22 and 23.

There. are two release mechanisms for withdrawing the bolt 24 and releasing the switch. One of these comprises a two-piece shaft 27 mounted in the casing and secured together through splines 28 and a bolt 29 threaded tothe inner member of the shaft', as at 30. The knurled head 31 of the bolt permits theboltA to be unscrewed and the two parts ofthe shaft 27 to be adjusted angularly for the Apurpose hereinafter described. A stop screw 32 at the inner end of the bolt 29 prevents complete withdrawal of the .bolt as long as s aid screw is in place..

^ Theshaft 27 has a cam 33 arranged near its inner end,fwhich cam corresponds to one '85 of-the numerals on a dial or disk 34 at the outer end of the shaft. A release lever 35 mounted in the casing with itshead in the slot'36 of 'the locking bolt 24, is arranged to --berocked on its pivot 37 by the cam 33 when the shaft 27 is pushed inwardly. The cam, however,j will not operate the lever 35 unlessit is first moved to a position in line withthevlever', and this Amaybe' done by op- "erating-the shaft 2 7 through the dial 34. By thus rotatingthe shaft and moving it endwise with the cam 33 and lever 35 inlinel the latter lis rocked orf itsV pivot 37 and the -bolt 24' is withdrawn against its spring 38 and the switch 15 is released. Howeyer, if 100 position of the camf33, the lever 35v will fall behind a A'shoulder 39'dn the shaft and retain the shaft against retraction. Also, as'the shaft pushed inwardlya 4stationary lng los 40, shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 6, immediate``. ly enters-in one'of the A-loiig'itiidinal slotsf 41 on said Vshaft and 'reventa rotation of the shaft. Thus the ft Acan be neither rotated no1' moved-endwseif itvis caught 110 by the lever behind the shoulder 39 and the dial release mechanism is thereby retained ineffective by reason of this wrongful manipulation of the dial mechanism.

If the dial mechanism is correctly operated to release the locking bolt 24, a spring 42 returns it endwise to its original position and another spring 43 rotates it to its originalangular positionwhich is preferably at zero indication on the dial. Said spring 43 has ne end fixed to the casing, as at 44,' and its other end is held in a ring 46 keyed to the shaft 27. rThe ring hasa stop pin 46 thereon which co-operates with a lug 44 on the plate 44 on the casing to stopl the shaft at its zero position on the dial.

In order that the dial mechanism may be operated at night as well as in the daytime,-

the lever1 35 operates in conjunction with the splines or slots 4l as a click mechanism, a spring 47 operating'to yieldingly press the lever 35 towards the shaft. For this purpose,

and for the purpose of permitting thelever to its original or normal position.

Should the owner or operator of the vehicle believe thatJ some unauthorized person has learned the combination number, he may easily change it by unscrewing the bolt 29, pushing the inner part of the shaft 27 inwardly relative to the outer part, turning the two parts relative to each other severall numbers on the dial, and then screwing up the bolt 29 to lock the two parts of the shaft together. This chan es the relationship of the cam 33 to the dia and consequently another Adial numeral will correspond to the cam position. i

After the dial-mechanism.. has been incorrectly operated so that it is locked by the lever 35 and the lug 40, (see Fig. 6)v it can I' only be reset by movement ofthe locking ist bolt 24. This may bey done by a key mechanism as illustrate in the 1drawin The key mechanism is generally indicate at '48 and comprises the usual lock cylinder 49 and a `pin 50 which may be moved by the lock cylinder a inst a lug -51 on the bolt 24" to 'therebywithdraw the bolt and release the ignition switch. This movement of the locking bolt 24 will Ywithdraw the lever 35 from behind the shoulder 39 and the springs 42 and 43 .will then return the dial mechanism to its originalor normal position. 'While I have herein described in some detail a specific embodiment of my invention, which I deem to .be new and advantageous and may specically claim, I do not desire it to be understood that my invention is limited to the exact details of the construction, as it will be apparent that changes may be spirit or scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.` In a switch locking mechanism, the combination of a support, a switch mounted on the support, a locking member mounted on the support and adapted to retain the switch in one of-its positions, a rotatable and endjwise movable element having a device thereon to move said element to thereby release said switch from said position, and means for rendering said element inoperative after it has been moved endwise with said devicein any other than said predetermined position.

2. lIn a switch locking mechanism, the combination of a spring actuated switch, a locking member adapted to retain said switch in 0H position, a key mechanism and a keyless mechanism for moving said locking member to release the switch, said mechanisms and said member being mounted adjacent but independently of the switch, and means for rendering the keyless mechanism inoperative upon wrongful manipulation thereof in the first instance.

3. In an ignition mechanism for motor vehicles, the combination of an ignition switch spring operated to on position, a locking member adapted to catch and hold the switch in off position, a cam and dial mechanism for moving said member to release the switch, said mechanism having means to make it inmade therein without departing from theA operativeupon wrongful manipulation in the first instance, and key actuated mechanism for moving said member and resetting the dial mechanism. f

4. In a switch locking mechanism, the com-y bination of a switch, a locking bolt therefor, key operated mechanism for withdrawing said bolt, dial mechanism for withdrawing the bolt, and means whereby the key mechanism will reset the dial mechanism.

5. In a switch locking mechanism, the combination of a casingt, va switch supported sup therein, a locking bo ported in the caslng and (2o-operating with said switch, key operated release means for said locking bolt,

dialoperated release means for said locking bolt, means for rendering ine'ective said dial operating means u on the wrongful manipulation thereof, said ey operated release means being operative to reset the dial operated means when the latter has ,beenarendered ineiective. Y

6. In a switch locking mechanism, the combination of a casing, a switch mounted therein and having a spring to yieldingly retain it in 150V one position, a locking bolt co-operatin to retain said switch in its other position, agkey operated device adapted to release said locking bolt, a lever connected to move said bolt to release position, a shaft having a cam thereon adapted to rock said lever, a dial on said shaft, means on said shaft co-operating with said lever to form a click mechanism, and means for preventing rotation of the dial except when the shaft is in its retracted or idle position. y

7. In a lock, a rotatable member to be locked, a spring adapted to cause rotation of said member, a locking element adapted to retain said member against rotation and means comprising a rotatable and transversely movable member, adapted to actuate said locking element, whereby said member is rotated under the action of said spring.

8. In a lock, a rotatable member, a dog on lsaid member, a slotted shaft having one end adapted to engage said dog, ay lever inserted in said' slot to actuate said shaft, and a camshaft capable of transverse and rotary motion, a cam on said shaft engaging one end of said lever.

9. In a lock, a rotatable member, means normally tending to cause rotation of said member, means retaining said member against rotation, and a rotatable and transversely movable member for releasing said retaining means.

10. In a lock, a keyless mechanism for actuating the lock rendered inoperative upon the wrongful manipulation thereof in the first inst-ance and a key mechanism for actuating the lock and resetting the keyless mechanism.

11. In a lock, a keyless mechanism for actuating the lock rendered inoperative upon the wrongful manipulation thereof in the first instance and another mechanism for actuating the lock and resetting the keyless mechamsm.

' In testimony whereof I ax my signature. MILTON TIBB TTS. 

